When you think of ballroom dancing, you probably envision long, cascading ballroom dresses, men in black-tie suits, and spectators sipping on expensive, aged wine that no one's ever heard of. Well... you're not totally wrong. I was attracted to ballroom dancing, not only because I loved the hedonic pleasure it gave me, but also because of ballroom dancing's inherent essence of high culture (Babin, 29). It's seen as being "classy" and "elegant" while also being technically difficult and physically challenging.
I was a dancer for 7 years before entering college, primarily studying ballet/pointe and modern. However, ballroom was always something I've always wanted to try. When I was 13, "learn how to ballroom dance" was even on my bucket list! During my senior year of high school, I visited my sister who was a freshman here at Michigan. While walking around campus, I saw a poster for the Michigan Ballroom Dance Team. Even though my sister didn't seem to know much about the team, I made sure to check them out when I started school my freshman year. Three years later, here I am, still infatuated with my love for both dancing and the team!
Intangible psychological & emotional value that can
be derived from brands/ great service (Gupta, 5)
I was a dancer for 7 years before entering college, primarily studying ballet/pointe and modern. However, ballroom was always something I've always wanted to try. When I was 13, "learn how to ballroom dance" was even on my bucket list! During my senior year of high school, I visited my sister who was a freshman here at Michigan. While walking around campus, I saw a poster for the Michigan Ballroom Dance Team. Even though my sister didn't seem to know much about the team, I made sure to check them out when I started school my freshman year. Three years later, here I am, still infatuated with my love for both dancing and the team!
The Michigan Ballroom Dance Team has become a second family to me and I couldn't recommend it more. Whether you're looking for new hobby, a new way to stay active, or even a new way to make friends, joining a collegiate ballroom team can bring value to your life! Let's see how!
#1: Functional Value
The different features of a product (Gupta, 5)
Whether you've had dance experience in the past, or are fresh to the scene, you're guaranteed to learn technique, moves, and style from experienced professionals when dancing on a collegiate team. Our coaches used to be Blackpool 10-dance finalists (Blackpool being the Olympics of ballroom dancing!) and now serve as both NDCA Certified Judges and coaches to both professional/novice ballroom dancers in addition to Olympic ice dancers. Our team is broken up into 5 smaller teams: A, B, C, Pre-C, and Newcomer, allowing dancers of all levels to learn at their appropriate level. "The process of learning ballroom dancing has been taught me a lot about efficient and accurate muscle control, positioning, and placement. I've learned how to utilize technical elements while also adjusting appropriately with respect to both my partner and my relative position on the floor" (Sutherland).
Check out an article from the Michigan Daily written about us that goes into more detail about the structure of our team: https://www.michigandaily.com/content/ballroom-dance
#2: Social Value
The social interactions we gain through a networked society (Gupta, 45)
Most people on the team will tell you that the best relationships they've made in college were through ballroom. Personally, most of the people I'm closest to, including my best friend, my dance partner, and my boyfriend are all on the team. "I met the people I'm closest to now through ballroom freshman year. We would go to lessons together and then all of us who lived on the Hill would walk back together. It was nice having a group of friends to grow with through the years -- both in our college and dancing lives!" (Huizinga). The team helps foster these social relationships through parties, social events, and dance competitions. And I may be biased, but ballroom parties are the best because everyone actually knows how to dance :)
#3: Experiential Value
With Michigan's rigorous education, most students could use some stress-relief. Ballroom dancing is a way for students to re-focus their energy on something that's both fun and pleasurable. "Ballroom has given me the opportunity to learn an amazing skill while also giving me a creative outlet from the stress of school! Sometimes dance is all I look forward to in a day, because I know that once I'm in the studio, I can just actually relax" (Mathew).
Ballroom dancing is also valuable because it is a productive use of energy. "The biggest thing I've learned is patience... not only with your partner but with yourself, especially when things are going wrong" (Rector). For me personally, I've gained confidence in my performance skills through showcases and competitions. It just goes to show how ballroom, while being fun, can also aid in your personal growth.
Well there you have it! I hope you found this blog post to be insightful about the collegiate ballroom world. I've spoken mostly about ballroom dance today, but stayed tuned for next time where I dive into the other style of dance our team competes in -- Latin!!
(Sources)
Babin, B., & Harris, E. (n.d.). CB: Consumer Behavior : Student edition 7
Gupta, S. (2014). Creating Customer Value. Retrieved October 4, 2017.
(B. Sutherland Interview, October 4, 2017).
(J. Huizinga, Interview, October 4, 2017).
(J. Mathew, Interview, October 4, 2017).
(D. Rector, Interview, October 4, 2017).
Klarecki, C. (2010, March 14). Ballroom blitz: 'U' Ballroom Team turns inexperienced dancers into international champions. The Michigan Daily. Retrieved October 4, 2017.
Thank you for this blog post! I have always loved to dance, especially with my friends, but have never taken lessons or participated in a structured, formal setting. Like you, dancing has always had both social and experiential value for me. Dancing for fun always makes me happy and puts me in a better mood because the act itself and the memories I have made while dancing create positive emotional value within the experience (Gupta, 5). It has social value because I’m normally out with my friends, at a specific social event, or at home with the big speaker in the living room. It is interesting to think about the ways dancing has deepened the bond I have with my friends and family and also to learn about the ways in which dancing has brought you closer to other people. It is clear that your ballroom dance team serves as multiple reference groups, which is why it is such an important part of your life. It is a formal group because there is membership and certain expectations you have to meet, but is also a primary group because you have created your strongest ties and closes relationships with others who belong. The way you have described the ballroom dance team and both the hedonic and utilitarian value it has given you makes it sounds like an amazing organization to be a part of!
ReplyDeleteGupta, S. (2014). Creating Customer Value. Retrieved October 4, 2017.